Sharjah 24 – WAM: The bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates and the People's Republic of China are witnessing a golden and distinguished era, marked by the continued expansion of their comprehensive strategic partnership, driven by the guidance of the wise leadership in both friendly nations.
The UAE and China enjoy a strong friendship rooted in cultural, economic, and historical ties, dating back to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1984.
Both countries have made significant efforts to strengthen their partnership, as reflected in the signing of more than 148 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding across various fields.
The relationship between the two nations is historic and deeply rooted. The visit of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to China in May 1990 was the first visit of a Gulf head of state to China, following the visit of the former Chinese President Yang Shangkun to the UAE in December 1989.
Mutual official visits between the leaders of both countries have further solidified and advanced bilateral relations, such as Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the UAE in 2018.
The visit of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to China in July 2019 marked a new and significant phase in the strategic partnership between the two nations.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries began on 1st November 1984, with China opening its embassy in Abu Dhabi in April 1985 and the UAE opening its embassy in Beijing on 19th March 1987.
Reflecting the UAE's high regard for its relations with China, it has opened multiple consulates, including in Hong Kong in April 2000, Shanghai in July 2009, and Guangzhou in June 2016. In turn, China opened its consulate in Dubai in November 1988.
Both the UAE and China place great importance on strengthening their economic partnership and enhancing trade and investment ties in all fields.
The UAE's non-oil trade with China reached AED296 billion (US$81 billion) in 2023, representing a 4.2 percent growth compared to 2022. As a result, China maintained its position as the UAE's top non-oil trading partner in 2023, accounting for 12 percent of the UAE's non-oil trade.
China is also the UAE's largest import partner, with 18 percent of the UAE's imports coming from China. Additionally, China ranks 11th in terms of the UAE's non-oil exports, contributing 2.4 percent, and 8th in re-exports, contributing 4 percent.
Excluding crude oil, the UAE remains the top Arab trading partner with China, accounting for 30 percent of trade between China and Arab countries in 2023.
From 2003 to 2023, the total value of UAE investments in China amounted to approximately US$11.9 billion, while Chinese investments in the UAE reached US$7.7 billion during the same period.
Key sectors for UAE investments in China include telecommunications, renewable energy, transport and logistics, hospitality and tourism, and rubber. The number of UAE companies operating in the Chinese market exceeds 55.
Tourism is another major sector strengthening economic ties between the UAE and China. Over one million Chinese tourists visited the UAE during the first ten months of 2023, and the Chinese community in the UAE reached approximately 350,000.
The UAE is a strategic partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013. The UAE's strategic location and logistical capabilities make it a vital hub for the initiative's success.
The UAE has committed US$10 billion to a joint UAE-China investment fund to support initiative projects in East Africa and signed 13 memoranda of understanding with China in 2018 to invest in various sectors within the UAE.
Data from the first half of 2023 shows that the UAE's non-oil trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative amounted to US$305 billion, contributing 90 percent of the UAE's non-oil trade during that period, with a growth rate of more than 13 percent compared to the first half of 2022.
Cultural relations between the UAE and China are also flourishing, with increasing exchanges of students, cultural officials, media professionals, and researchers. Since 1989, the two countries have signed numerous agreements on cultural and media cooperation.
The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Centre for Arabic Language and Islamic Studies is, established in 1990 at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, has played a key role in promoting Arab culture in China and advancing the Arabic language.
Cultural weeks, music festivals, book fairs, and other events held between the two nations continue to enhance cultural ties year after year.
Education is a cornerstone of UAE-China cultural relations. In 2015, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in higher education, encouraging scientific collaboration and ensuring quality education between universities and research institutions. Scholarships are also exchanged between the two nations.
In 2019, the UAE launched the Chinese language programme in 200 schools, which has attracted more than 71,000 students in 171 schools across the emirates.
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